Usher&#39;s signal



J, J. WALSH. USHER'S SIGNAL. FILED SEPT.

Jan. 23, 1923. w

Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. WALSH, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

USHERS SIGNAL.

Application filed September 30, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. WALSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ushers Signals, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signals designed to be carried and used byushers. particularly in the darkened moving picture theaters, forindicating visually to the late arrivin spectators, the number of vacantseats w ich are available, without requiring the usher to needlesslytraverse the aisles or give disturbing audible or manual signals.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and convenientilluminating signal, consisting of a common pocket electrlc flash-lightwhich is equipped with means for selectivel flashing one or moredisclike lights, the signalling means being so arranged that an ushermay readily and quickly and accurately adjust the same for projectinglights corresponding to the number of vacant seats that are available ina certain part of the house. And a further object is to provide novelmeans for holding the selective parts in the adjusted ositions forpreventing accidental shi ting thereof andthereby giving false signals.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detaileddescription which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawing, in which-- igures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are similar face views of theflash-light; showing the manner of progressively displaying the severallights. Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation of the device. Fig. 6 is asimilar view, with parts broken away for showing the arrangement ofcertain of the internal parts. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section, taken online 7-7 of Fig. 5; showing the tension means for holding the indexingcap in the adjusted positions. And Fig. 8 is a reduced plan view of thestationary shutter.

In the drawin 2 represents the barrel or body of the or inary pocketflash-light, in which the usual battery 3 is disposed. 4 represents theelectric lamp, which is supported within an inverted conical reflector4'. 5 is the hollow conical head which encloses the reflector, and whichis screwed on to one end of the barrel, as at 5, the flaring top-end ofthe barrel being externally Serial No. 504,458.

threaded, for attaching an annular cap 5" which grips and holds theusual lens 6 in place. The lens is supported by and closes the open topof the reflector, and the reflector is shown resting upon a ring 7.which is supported by the head 5. The lam 4 is alternately lighted andextin- 18 ed by the reciprocable movements of t e usual switch 2*,carried by the body 2.

My improvement consists of the following parts: 9 represents a disc orshutter of any suitable opaque material, which is preferably about thesame diameter as the lens 6, and is disposed between the lens 6 and thereflector 4, in such manner that the disc is held stationary by thetension of the cap 5*. The disc is provided with a number of similarcircular apertures through which the rays of the light from the lamp 4are emitted to the lens. One of these openings 9'. is arranged co-axialwith the bulb i. The other openings 9*, 9 and 9 are arranged in asemi-circle concentric to the opening 9', and these are preferablyspaced equidistantly. 10 represents another inverted conical casing,which is large enough in diameter to receive and enclose the head 5, andWhose contracted lower end loosely engages the neck 5 of the head, uponwhich the casing is rotatable. The flaring topend of the casing 10 isexternally threaded for the purpose of attaching a crown-cap 11, whichis internally threaded for the purpose. The casing 10 is provided with anumber of perforations 10, 10, 10 and 10, corresponding to the number oflightopenings in the disc 9 and the cap 11, the said perforations beingarranged in a circumferential row that partially encircles its angularsides. These perforations are employed for indexing the cap 11, and thecasing and cap are held in place after each adjustment by a spring 12,which is carried by the corresponding portion of the head 5, the saidspring being provided with an outwardly convex socket or portion 12,which is disposed in the path of and successively engages the holes 10',10, 10 and 10 in the casing when the latter is rotated, as best seen inFigs. 5. 6 and 7. The top or closed end of the cap 11 is crowned tocorrespond to the convex face of the lens 6, and this portion of the capis provided with the same number of circular light apertures as the disc9. The central aperture 11' of the cap also registers with 'rotatablymounted on the head and the bulb and the opening 9 of the disc. Theother apertures, 11, l1 and 11 of the cap 11 are disposed in the samerelation to the central aperture 11, as shown in the disc. The casing 10and its cap ll when assembled are movable as one part and may be readilyrotated on the head 5, by the operator exerting sufiicient force to flexthe spring 12 towards the head 5, for dis engaging the socket 12 fromthe indexing perforations of the casing 10.

\Vhen the device is employed by the usher merely as a flash or searchlight. or for indicating that he has but one seat to dispose of, thecasing 10 and the cap are set in the position shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6,in which the apertures 11--11" and 11 are disposed directly over theimperforate portion of the disc 9. and only the central aperture 11'registers with the lamp and the opening 9. By this arrangement, but onecircle or spot of the light shows through the cap 11. When the parts arein the latter position, the socket 12 is in engagement with the indexhole 10 of the casing 10. To signal for two seats, the usher grasps thecap 11 and gives it a partial twist towards the right. This moves theapertures 11, 11 and 11 clockwise, until the socket 12 engages the hole10 of the casing. The aperture 11 then registers with the opening 9 ofthe disc, and the unseated spectators see two illuminated spots, asshown in Fig. 2. To signal for three vacant seats, the usher rotates thecap 11 another step in the same direction, until the socket 12' snapsinto the perforation 10" of the easing, which brings the aperture 11* ofthe cap into registry with the aperture 9 of the disc and at the sametime advances the aperture 11 into registry with the opening 9 of thedisc. Three discs of light then show in the face of the device. Tosignal for four vacant seats, the cap 11 is again rotated in the samedirection till the socket l2 enters the hole 10 of the casing. Thismoves the apertures 11", 11 and 11 of the cap into registry respectivelywith the openings 9, 9 and 9" of the disc, for showing four illuminatedspots (see Fig. 4). The central openings 9 and 11 during all thesemanipulations of the cap 11 show the central light continuously, unlessthe switch 2* is opened. When the device is not being used forsignalling, the operator should turn the cap 11 in the direction forextinguishing all but the central light, so as to be ready for the nextoperation, as described.

Havin thus described my what I c aim, is-

' 1. In a signal, an electric lamp, a lens, a

invention hollow head enclosing the lamp and supportiiig the lens,an'apertured opaque disc disposed between the lens and the lamp, a caphaving an apertured portion overlaying the lens adapted to be rotatedfor bringing'certain of its apertures into registry with thecorresponding apertures oi the disc, and tension means for stopping andholding the cap after each partial rotation.

A signal comprising an electric lamp, a lens, an apertured stationarydisc disposed between the lens and the lamp, an apertured cap disposedabove and concentric to the lens, one aperture of the disc constantly inaxial alinement with one aperture of cap, the other apertures of the capadapted to be successively moved into registry with the correspondingapertures of the disc by the rotation of the cap for selectivelyprojecting a number of lights, and means for indexing and holding thecap in the various adjusted positions.

3. In a signal, the combination with an electric lamp, a lens, and ahollow head enclosing and supporting said parts, of a stationary opaqueshutter disposed between the lens and the lamp, a casing surroundin saidhead, means carried by said head an frictionally engaging said casingfor holding the casing in a number of difierent positions, and anaperture-d opaque cap fixed to the casing and overlaying the lens, oneof the apertures of said cap being disposed coaxially to the lamp and acorresponding aperture of the shutter, the other apertures of the capadapted to be brought into registry with the corresponding apertures ofthe shutter by the step-by-step rotation of said 4. The combination withan electric lamp, a reflector, a lens and a head enclosing said parts,of a stationary opaque disc disposed between the lamp and the lens andsupported by the reflector, said disc having a plurality of apertures bymeans of which the rays of light from the lamp are emitted to the lens,a casing rotatably mounted on and enclosing said head, said casing beingprovided with a circumferential row of indexing perforations, a capcarried by said casing and overlaying the lens, said cap havingaperturesCOIIQSIWIlfllIlg in number and disposition to the apertures of the disc,one aperture of said cap and one aperture of said disc being constantlyin line axially with the lamp, the other apertures of said cap adaptedto be successii 'ely moved into registry with the correspondingapertures of the disc by the rotation of said casing, and a tensiondevice carried by said head adapted to successively engage theperforations of the casing for indexing said cap.

5. The combination with a flash-light including an electric lamp, alens, and a head enclosing said parts, of a casing rotatably mounted onsaid head and having a plurality of indexing perforations, means carriedby said head adapted to engage said perforations for holding the casingin different positions, a cap carried by and movable with the lens, saiddisc having apertures correthe casing, said cap having a centralaperspending to said cap adapted to emit the ture registering with thelamp and having a rays of the lamp through the apertures of 19 pluralityof similar apertures arranged in a the cap when the later is rotated ineither semi-circle concentric to the central aperdirection.

ture, an opaque disc disposed between the In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature. lens and the lamp and held stationary by JOHN J. WALSH.

